• Dynamic 5G for Video Calling places Microsoft Teams video, voice and screen-sharing traffic on a dedicated 5G slice with committed throughput
  • The service requires Telstra's enterprise wireless plan and compatible Telstra-installed 5G equipment in a standalone 5G service area

The fact

Telstra has launched Dynamic 5G for Video Calling, an application-specific network slice designed for Microsoft Teams. The service directs Teams video, voice and screen-sharing traffic onto a dedicated part of Telstra's standalone 5G network with committed throughput, while other traffic continues over the site's enterprise wireless connection.

The service requires an Adaptive Mobility Enterprise Wireless plan and a compatible 5G device supplied and installed by Telstra at an agreed location. Telstra says its analytics system monitors whether the slice meets the promised performance level, and customers are not charged for periods when that commitment is missed. The performance level covers the connection between the installed 5G device and the edge of Telstra's mobile network; the customer's internal network and the wider internet are not included.

The assessment

At a site where Teams calls share the same 5G connection with file transfers, software updates and other traffic, Telstra can now reserve network capacity specifically for those calls. Other applications continue over the normal enterprise wireless service, so IT teams can give Teams priority without treating every application the same way.

The guarantee has a clear boundary. Telstra measures performance from its installed 5G device to the edge of its mobile network. Problems inside the customer's own network or on the wider internet sit outside that commitment, so a poor Teams call would not automatically mean the 5G slice had failed.

For BTW readers, the next evidence should come from real customer sites. If Teams calls remain stable when other traffic is heavy, Telstra will have a stronger case for charging businesses to protect a single application. Until then, the commercial value of the service remains unproven.

What to watch

Watch for named customers using the Teams slice and performance data from sites during busy periods. Telstra's monitoring should also show how often the service falls below its committed level. Support for other named business applications would indicate whether application-specific slicing can develop into a broader enterprise service.